Knot tying generally requires inserting one end of a wire or string through loops formed in the wire. Handling of the wire during the knotting process is therefore relatively complex, as the end is guided to the loop, released as it is inserted through the loop, and then re-grasped after the end has passed through the loop.
Previous automated knot tying apparatus have generally employed robotic means where the material being knotted is held and released at different points during the knotting process. Such apparatus are generally expensive. Further, such apparatus are best suited for less rigid knot tying material. Tying a bundle of wires into a knot may be particularly challenging, as the bending forces may result in the individual strands within the bundle splaying out in different directions, making it difficult to release and then re-grasp all the strands of the bundle as the bundle is being knotted.
Therefore, there is an unmet need for a low cost apparatus for knotting a single wire or a bundle of wires where the wire or bundle is not released and re-grasped during the knotting process.